November 13, 2020

Unpretentious Cooking: Bacon & Cream Cheese Stuffed Buns

A Thanksgiving snack before dinner

By Justin Burke
I have a hard time deciding whether the snacks leading up to Thanksgiving dinner or the meal itself are my favorite part of the holiday. At my house, the spread of snacks gets the same attention as dinner. The kitchen island is filled with platters of meat, cheese, dips, bacon-wrapped dates, and sweet and sour meatballs, to name a few. Last year, I made everything-spice brioche buns stuffed with bacon and cream cheese. They were a hit, and are now a requirement not only for Thanksgiving, but any family gathering. The brioche dough is made the night before and only uses half of the dough, leaving enough for a loaf for dinner or donuts in the morning. You can also make the dip ahead. The buns are great stuffed with pimento cheese, buffalo chicken dip, or french onion dip, too.

Bacon & Cream Cheese Stuffed Buns
Yields 1-2 dozen (depending on size)

Brioche buns stuffed with bacon and cream cheese dip. Justin Burke/UP

Ingredients
1 batch brioche dough (recipe here)
Bacon and cream cheese dip (recipe here)
2 eggs
1-2 tablespoons milk
Everything spice or sesame seeds, for garnish

Directions

Prepare the bacon and cream cheese dip and chill until ready to use.
Prepare one batch of brioche dough. Divide the dough in half placing one half on a floured work surface. Cover and chill the second half for a loaf, donuts, or additional buns for a later use.
Using a scale, portion the dough into 90 gram balls. For smaller buns, decrease portions to 60 grams. Once dough is portioned, cup your hand around one portion and roll into a tight ball; repeat until all portions are formed. Place the rolled balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper 2 inches apart. Cover with a kitchen towel and place in a warm area to proof until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk the eggs and milk together to make an egg wash. Brush the top and the sides of the buns with the egg wash evenly, then generously sprinkle with everything spice or sesame seeds. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack completely before filling.
While the buns are cooling, fill a pastry bag or ziplock bag with the cream cheese mixture and cut the tip large enough for filling to easily squeeze out.
Once the buns are cooled, use the back of a wooden spoon and poke a hole on the side of the bun directly into the center, making sure not to go all the way through. Insert the pastry bag and carefully fill the bun with the cream cheese mixture.
Serve at room temperature. Buns will keep for 2 days chilled in an airtight container.